Friday. February 29. I959 SCARLET AND BLACK Page Titre- [ETIERS Play Questioned Lust week-end the Grinnell community was given a special treat: a protessional periorni- ance ot a poor obscure Greek play, At this point, i leave the review to the critics and ques- tion the decision to produce the play in the iii-st place as well as the so-caued “casting." Our theatre department seems to have lost any incentive to produce plays that will be or educative value or simply iii- teresting to either the actors or the audience. Our connections with Peter Amot and the Mil- wankec Repertory are both'cx— citing. but it seems that there is no conceivable excuse [or the absorption or drama tunds tor then-.nse. The second semester budget allows for two major pro~ ductiolls. We have seen one— tllr other will be a musical late in the semester (which will not be ahie to involve all serious drama students, who are leit to lawrbudget one-acts in the Arena). l will admit you can . learn ei great deal by watching protessioiials, but when will stu- dents have a chance to apply what they've learned? The ques- tion is not “a good perionnance by prolessiollals” or “a bad per- torniaiice by students." We have had the worst: an inelfectual production by pmiessionals that deprived students or the right to demonstrate their talents for the criticism and enjoyment or the college community. Again, we have a classic example or this college trying to suppress student spontaneity, and under. mining confidence in students' desire to learn by doing. l think the drama department owes it students ol the perform- ing art. more than a token ac- knowledgement Give the one act: to the pros and let the stu- dents use the resources set up for their use. Susan Rizal) Open Minded? To the Editor: Now i am not one to defend Apple pie, motherhood, or God and country without reserva- tions, nor am i one to repudi- ate, without reservations, the value of maturity at nude-ins. What l do deplore categorically is the hypocrisy or some of the “open-minded" students who in- habit this campus. A golden ex- ample oi this hypocrisy was printed in the 5&3 last week under the title “Come all people, now . . First the author took 243 words (give or take a lew) to tell me that the students oi Grinnell are a bunch 01 button llpped, establishment- bound automatons who brush their teeth but don't look at their bodies when they take showers — at best a generaliza- tion well steeped in verbosity, and at most, Worth about 205 Words of wasted ink. Aller sitting Out the spirit of the author's condemnation, 1 real! .ed that he had a point. He ' , indeed accurate in chance te ‘ig our ‘apathetic or (to coin a wotd),unoutspoken Stur dent body. 1 was especially amused, however, at one of the examples the author used in his Chorale terlzation. Hc reierred m a let- ter, signed by 7 women, coli- denining the Gates Hall demoti- stration. lroriically, he chose this example or student energy to put into a context ol student apathy. in disagreeing with the argument or that letter he in- sulted our intelligence by dis- carding it without su much as a hint or rational argument. Ap- parently, ii oiitspolien students do not agree with the author he throws out their opinions be- cause they are inane and not worth the lime to debate reason- ably. The students who say nothing at all incur his wrath for being apathetic. Therefore, (0 have a brain in one's hcad one must agree un- equivocaily with the author. He appointed himseli judge, jury. and executioner; indeed. he must be the god or reason. Un- fortunatclv, that deity went out with the Greeks. Phil Saslch Grinnell Defendéd To the Editor: The discussion between Stu- dents and taculty members last Sunday night leit the cold. it is one thing to negatively and rather maliciously deplore Grin nell's “Conservative" education al system; or as o e student so witheringly put i the Grinnell Marshmallow.‘ it is quite an» other to positively and seriously sit down with protessurs and other students in your discipline or related disciplines and a" cuss workable means of prov‘ ing the most variety and in . vidiial creativity within the curriculum. 1 repeat “the most variety and individual creativ- ity" because sortie students so often tail to acknowledge the time limits oi protessors (espe- cially good proiessors) not to mention money and department size as inherent limitations to the number of new educational possibilities. Negativism win- out a positive and sincere de— sire to 'worlt ior improvement within the “system's" limita— tions is not only impotent but depressiiigly sell-righteous. Neg~ ative (and i use the term pejor- atively) is, of course, an indu- lent state or being. Oil behalt oi the positivists in both iaculty and student camps, 1 Wish to resluie some of the at tempts to improve not only faculty-student relationships but the educatlmlal curriculum. 1. Student committees: Lilall Morton's committee on comptehensives Ted Glick's Committee on course evaluations ' , Student-{acuity discussions in specific departments (c. g. Biology, Political Science, French) . strident - faculty c rented courses in the form of miles pcndents: l-iumaii Bin!ogv (Mr. Pa Tell) Seminar in Ethical D s sioii (bin Worley and Mr. Hails) , Conteuioorary European Lit- eratnre Semulal‘ in "filler Education at Grimlnll (‘lr. li’wett) .Mauy courses reconstructed Glick Answers Gray To the Editor: In a letter to the 58d! last week Mr. Bill Gray argued liis posttion on many issues. i would like to reply to all of them, as I disagree with almost all at them, but for lack Di space I Will coniine myseli to a much bmztdcr topic which, l ice], coin ers in sufficient degree each Dl' his points. Mr. Gray. to the best or my knowledge. did not attend the n iig held at Conference House one week after the dim- otistrution at which the demon- strators attempted and i be- lieve succeeded, in showing other people why they felt their action was necessary. 1 also wonder it Mr. Gray has ever tallied personally with those who took part in the demonstra- tion. It so, i give my apologies to Mr. Gray, but i sincerely doubt that such is the case. I believe [his lack of any attempt to comprehend the reasons for such an action, one wlllcli goes against almost all prevailing so cietal values, is nothing less than tragic, Most members or society look at what happens. not why, and they make no attempt to under- stand lhe actions of other hil- man beings It is this attempt at understanding that has to come belole there can ever be a democratic society, a society collcemed with human values, as opposed to the concern now with objects, money, and power. i wonder it Mr. Gray agrees with acllon of Mrs Rosa Parks when, in 1955, she decided that she was sick or being treated as less than a human being and thus sat down in the white see tion of the bus in Montgomery, Alabalita.' why didn’t she talii it out with the bus driver? Per- haps because she and many millions of others had been talking about it tor over 300 years, but she didnt reel that things had really improved as much as should be the case. As ________—— s 7 /,¥ 4". by iaculty through the humid channels or approval. 5. Conrerences planned on Pov- city and the New Politics. (My apologies tor those ei- iorts not listed) This is a beginning and a great deal more can be done it and when more students and iaciilty take not only an active but a constructive interest in educational improvements, ' Mary Stuart Get The Old Horse Ready for Spring Break Be Ready To Travel — BO BATTEY TEXACO 6th 8r West St. 135-7205 a result Mrs. Parks used action, instead ol merely words. to make her point. From thill seemingly small and isolated event came the civil rights movement with an impact so strong, although even now only in the beginning stages, that it seems incredible that it could have been started In such a way. i have heard. in the past two weeks, “silly, childish, and un- wise" and other similarly de— rogatory words being used to describe the demonstrators It is my guess that nine out at ten cl those who use these words have not attempted to talk [a the participants, or having neither the time nor the desire to do that. have not trictl to analyze either the p is reasons (or such an aetion or the possible bcnelicial eliccts or it on society, Ted Glick THANKS The {allowing people have generously made donations to the Scarlet and Black this week in order to allow the pin» licalion or eight pages. Our thanks to: Mr. pat-ten Mr. Liggett Mr. Kintner Eric Tanner Mr. Gumfl Frank Thomas David Lindbloni Mrs. Nettsger Kathy Bull Sootal Change At Clinllell 195d By Susan Kaeser Is now being shown _nil floor. Fine Arts AWAY WE eol ‘ allege- ‘ own II not» i . . . Csollcge Town s Snappy liltlo («latte is, go gall on th- move. in viva (DAUOHE‘ and caitun]. . noted let its col/n, cool pailsrmsnen. Nov). b Ivocddo. oil Six»: 3. i]. Main 5 :mar'oy cumbu with our Duran/cotton :hoctetod dirt min, avocado. cult. qroy. Sun 5 is Hours: Monday — Noon - V p.m. Tuesday . Saturday — 9 . s Poynier’s 4th Ave. Fashions incorporated Glinnell's Complete Style Shop For Women SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY